Coronavirus lockdown: France orders people to stay at home for 15 days due to pandemic

• The president of France said he was ordering people in the country to stay at home for up to 15 days because of the coronavirus outbreak.
• President Emmanuel Macron said people may leave their homes only for essential duties, beginning midday Tuesday.
• The announcement came as Canada's leader, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, announced that he was closing that country's borders to foreigners, with the exception of U.S. citizens.

This photograph taken on March 12, 2020, shows a screen broadcasting the declaration of France's President Emmanuel Macron, made from The Elysee Palace in Paris, about the situation of the COVID-19 outbreak.

LUDOVIC MARIN

The president of France on Monday said he was ordering people in the country to stay at home for up to 15 days because of the coronavirus outbreak.

President Emmanuel Macron said people should leave their homes only for essential duties, beginning midday Tuesday.

Macron said he was taking the drastic step of limiting people's movements in France to reduce the risk of contamination from the virus.

He said any violation of the edict would be punished.

"We are in a health war," Macron said.

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Macron also announced he was calling off the second round of municipal elections in light of his order.

Macron's announcement came as Canada's leader, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, announced that he was closing that country's borders to foreigners, with the exception of U.S. citizens.

"It is time to take every precaution to keep people safe," Trudeau said.